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MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2002

A federal judge today dismissed the General Accounting Office's attempt to force Vice President Dick Cheney to reveal information about his energy policy task force.

U.S. District Judge John Bates said the GAO, an investigative arm of Congress, did not have the ability to request the information. He said it was a separation of powers issue.

Cheney was the chair of the task force, which consulted heavily with industry and corporate executive but not with environmentalist groups. Its final report called for increased drilling on federal lands.

Democrat members of Congress sought exactly with whom Cheney and his aides met and asked the GAO to find out. Cheney released some information but not all.

The lawsuit is separate from one filed by environmental groups. Tens of thousands of pages of documents have been released in that case.

Get the Story:
Lawsuit Against Cheney's Energy Task Force Dismissed (AP 12/9)

Get the Decision:
David M. Walker v. Richard B. Cheney (December 9, 2002)

Relevant Documents:
Reliable, Affordable, and Environmentally Sound Energy for America’s Future (The White House 5/17)
ERRATA: Corrections (The White House 5/17)

Only on Indianz.Com:
Inside the Bush energy policy (5/18)

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